Here We Go Again
by meenajon
Summary: Elena's human, and a mother, and she's wondering why she's gone to Damon for help.... A little ElenaDamon but a little of something more.
1. Chapter 1

_**It's been years since I read L.J. Smith's works…so please review; and be kind.**_

_**This is from a dream I had the other night that has been stuck in my brain and just won't seem to leave me to my other thoughts. It will be a short one, so enjoy!**_

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As she walked into the restaurant, Elena realized just how tired she had felt. Leaving the kids at home with a babysitter had seemed like a frivolous expense at first, but she now knew exactly how much she needed just a few minutes away from them.

"Bartender, fuzzy navel, please."

She looked around as she took her drink over to one of the unbelievably high tables. _I don't know why they ever came up with these things in the first place. Isn't it a little offensive to midgets? _She chuckled to herself as she sipped her orange juice and peach schnapps, looking at the other people who were beginning to fill the room.

In the corner booth, a young man had been watching her since she crossed the threshold. He was no more than twenty-five years old; about average height, but with a lean look to his frame. He ran his hands through his wavy brown locks as he called the waitress over to his table.

A new drink appeared on Elena's tabletop. She hadn't ordered it. Before she could go about her business, Elena stopped the waitress to ask about the drink. The young girl pointed over to the booth in the corner, and at its occupants.

"Tell him no thanks."

The girl smiled and shook her head.

"No can do, miss. He said you would probably refuse it, but promised me a twenty dollar tip if I left it here. If I take it back, I don't get the tip."

Elena nodded, looking over at the man in the corner, who had raised his own glass in salute. It had been ages since she had gotten out of the house other than to go to work, and even longer since she had been propositioned in even the most remote way. He had distracted her from her surroundings, which wasn't always a good thing.

"You're not welcome here."

The voice came from a rather large, bald man who had come to stand next to her. He was huge. And the hatred that she could see in his eyes was probably not warranted.

"Excuse me, but I'm trying to finish my drink."

She took a sip of the new beverage. It was sweeter and smoother in contrast to her fuzzy navel. But as it coated the delicate skin of her esophagus, it left a sensation like liquid fire. Not unlike a sensation she had had once before, long ago.

"I said, you're not welcome here."

Elena realized that the man was still there. She didn't know what she had done to offend him, but that it might have something to do with her past, and not her present life.

"Is there a problem here?"

_Great. Just great_. The young man from the corner booth had come to put himself between her and uncle Fester's gargantuan twin. She caught the twinkle in his eye as he looked down at her, and then to the larger man.

"Do you have a quarrel with the lady?"

It was then that Elena picked up on the fact that he wasn't from around here, either. There was a soft lilt to his voice. _Scottish? Irish perhaps?_ She couldn't completely pinpoint it. But she knew she wasn't going to stick around to find out.

"Excuse me. I must be going."

The ape man reached out to grab her by the arm, but the other grabbed her first and tucked her safely behind him. _I can take care of myself, dammit_. But she suddenly thought of her children, and that it might be a better idea to let him defend her. To both of their surprise, baldy took a step back before he turned around to leave. But he still managed to get another word in.

"She will be most displeased."

The younger man looked at her curiously as he stuck out his hand.

"Adrian O'Connell…at your service."

She shook his hand, but a sense of dread began to fall over her. Something was just not right about the situation that had just taken place. She had to get home to her children.

"Elena."

And she picked up her purse and jacket and left without another word.

**TBC**


	2. Run

It was almost a little too quiet when she entered the house. She looked around carefully, trying to make as little noise as possible. Elena had only been gone an hour, and it usually took a small miracle to get the kids to sleep in that short length of time.

"Haley? Are you there?"

Something began to worry at her insides. The babysitter did not answer when she called out. A small sense of dread was growing. As she made her way to the kitchen, she noticed a familiar fresh red stain on her beautiful white tiles.

It only took a few seconds for her to tear through the house towards the children's room. Relief washed over her as she saw her two babies, sound asleep in their beds. It almost made her feel badly for having to wake them. But they couldn't stay here. Not now.

"Ariel, Andrew…Mommy needs you to wake up."

Her son roused first, rubbing at the corner of his young eyes. He had looked so peaceful lying there, and now he looked like he'd swallowed something bad.

"Mommy…what time is it?"

Elena sighed. She hated to have to do this, but she just didn't feel safe here anymore. And there was also the matter of the missing babysitter. She reached down and lightly shook her daughter one more time as she answered her five year-old son.

"It's still nighttime, honey. But you, your sister and I…we have to leave here for a little while. Okay? Get your bear and your pillow. We need to hurry and get in the car."

Andrew nodded as he gathered up his things. Elena had to pick up Ariel in her arms, as his little twin showed no intention of coming out of her dreams to be in the present time.

"Okay…buckled in tight?"

The little boy nodded as he leaned to the side to try and make himself comfortable somewhere between his booster seat and the side of the car. Elena sighed as she drove off quickly, sputtering gravel behind her SUV. It was going to be a long night.

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The knocking sound he heard was getting louder. Damon didn't know who it was, but after ten minutes, it was obvious this person wasn't going to let up.

"All right! I'll be down in a minute."

Even for a vampire, the floor was cold to the touch as he lowered his feet from the bed to stand. Reaching over to grab his robe, he silently cursed the person who had chosen to interrupt him the one time he decided to sleep in the middle of the night. As he came down the stairs, he noticed that the knocking had more of a frantic sound to it.

"I said all right, already!"

He swung open the door to be accosted by a vision he hadn't seen in over ten years. Those years had not changed her much. She still had those beautiful eyes, golden hair, and unbelievably pale skin…even for a human. Elena was just as beautiful as the first time he had met her. There was just one small difference. Well, two, actually….

He looked down at the two children in her arms, and wondered when and how this had happened. He pulled the door open all the way to make enough room for her to pass.

"Please…come in."

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	3. Haven

Tucked neatly in the gigantic four poster that Damon kept in his spare room, Ariel and Andrew looked like two little angels; one light and one dark. Her five year-old twins were what had kept her going, when there was nothing left to go on.

She could feel him watching from the doorway as she bent over to kiss her children goodnight.

"Where's the light switch?"

Elena had looked around for it to turn off the dim light, but there wasn't one to be found.

With a quick clap, it became dark. She cocked her head to one side as she realized the ages-old vampire had obviously gone out and bought a Clapper. The look she gave him left him a little offended.

"What? You've got something against modern conveniences?"

She rolled her eyes and swallowed, pushing her way past him. After all the years they had not seen each other, his presence still bothered her. Every cell of her body was acutely aware of him.

"Come on, Damon. We need to talk."

Damon watched her from behind as she slowly glided down the ornate staircase. She was still Elena, but she was also very…different. His brother had been dead for at least five years. _Maybe six?_ He laughed inwardly at the thought that he himself had been alive so long that the unpleasant event of even his own brother's death had blurred into the past with so many others.

She turned around to look at him, offering the slightest of smiles.

"Are you coming?"

As he began his own descent, he felt the familiar stirrings come alive again. There was the same pull toward her that he had tried to quell so many years before. Out of deference for his brother, he'd stayed away…apparently too long.

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Elena took a seat in a plush, high-backed velvet chair that look like something straight out of the 1800s. The feeling of the burgundy fabric under her fingertips as she ran her hand over it immediately caused goose bumps to raise over the entire surface of her skin.

She looked toward the fireplace, where Damon had ignited the wood purely for their benefit…for their warmth. He was lazily perched at the edge of the marble tiles. She took in a deep breath and began.

"So, I guess you would like to know what it is we're doing here? I bet you never thought that you'd see me again, did you?"

Damon smiled, for in fact, in had been waiting for her for quite some time.

"On the contrary, Elena. I was wondering what took you so long."

The smug tone in his voice showed her that he hadn't changed much. _Or maybe he's using it to hide behind. _It couldn't be that easy for your dead brother's wife to appear out of nowhere with two little kids in tow.

"I've been a little busy, in case you hadn't noticed."

He chuckled at the sarcasm in her response. _Now who's getting offended_? Damon looked her over from head to toe, noticing the subtle differences in her outward appearance. There weren't many. And those that he did see only added to the package.

"You were saying?"

She told him of the incident in the bar, with the strange bald man. But she found herself leaving out a few details here and there; particularly those about a certain Mr. O'Connell. _What he doesn't know won't hurt him_. But her explanation of the events preceding her knocking on his front door still had not satisfied him completely. He sat there for several minutes, studying her again. It was beginning to make her very uncomfortable.

"And the children?"

She thought of Stefan then. Before he'd died, he made her promise, as he kissed her growing belly that she would keep his child away from his brother as long as she could. And she had. Elena had never intended on bringing them here if she hadn't felt it was absolutely necessary. The feeling she'd had back in the restaurant bar had not changed. Damon had never known that his niece and nephew existed…until now.

"Before he died, Damon, I became pregnant. He never met them. Andrew and Ariel, they are my light and my dark."

Chuckling at the thoughts running through her head, she wiped away the few tears that were brimming at the corners of her eyes.

"Ariel reminds me a little of you, actually. She's already five and thinks that she knows everything…with an attitude to boot."

In the silence that followed, Elena never would have guessed what was going on inside Damon's own mind.

Though he wouldnever outwardly show it, he was actually pleased that they were there. Since Stefan's passing, he'd felt so alone. Even though they'd been far apart, he could always count on hearing his brother's voice inside his thoughts. Now all he heard each day was silence. He uncrossed his arms and started to move from his perch, coming closer to her.

"I think it's time for you to go to bed. Unless you're hungry, that is."

He smiled, the light from the fire glinting unnaturally off his razor sharp teeth. Elena shook her head as she began to move away from him, seeking a quiet exit from the room. She was genuinely tired, and only wanted to think about warm covers and an extra-soft pillow beneath her head.

"Even if I were, Damon…the kind of food you're after isn't likely to satisfy my appetite."

She left him standing there…missing her presence long after he'd gone to hunt.

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Sleep was fleeting for her.

She dreamt of Adrian O'Connell. Elena had only met the man once, but he had already gotten under her skin. In her dreams she was running. As she would come around a corner, he would catch her.

Then sometimes, it would be Damon. He would catch her before she fell.

In both cases, she never saw what she was running from…only that she had to get away from it.

As she rose in the morning, her head was pounding like the ocean surf, and the dark circles she had gone to sleep with had only gotten darker. Elena had to figure out what the dreams meant. And she needed to get out of this house as soon as possible. Nothing good would ever come of their being here.

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	4. Familiar Feelings

She awoke, touching her lips, still able to feel the parting kiss that he had given her. He would always be with her; if not in living form then in her dreams. Stefan. But this night had been different. In her dreams, her long-dead husband had spoken to her…like he never had before. _Be happy_. Her feeling of wonder changed quickly to indignant.

"What the hell was that supposed to mean?"

Elena realized she's spoken aloud as she heard giggles coming from the foot of her bed. First one head popped up, then the other. She now knew what had woken her up at the crack of dawn in the first place.

"Come here, you two."

The familiar weight of her twins landed on her legs and belly, pushing all of the breath from her lungs. But it was a welcome feeling. Each day that she felt them there was another day that she knew she was truly alive.

"Mommy, we're bored. Can we go outside?"

She ruffled the hair of her golden boy. He was always bored.

"Shouldn't we eat breakfast first?"

The sun had barely risen. Elena looked over to the clock on the end table. 5:30 a.m. It had been a long time since she'd seen the new sunrise. Ariel looked at her mother, hands on her hips.

"No Mommy. Uncle Damon already fed us. And he gave us these."

Ariel lifted a small necklace off of her little girl chest. Her brother followed her lead. In their hands were tiny amulets on silver chains; lapis lazuli. The deep blue stone brought back many memories for her…some that were not at all that pleasant.

"And here is one for your mother."

Damon had been standing there…who knew for how long…listening to their fledgling conversation. She didn't want the necklace; didn't think she needed it.

"Thanks…but no thanks."

Her hand held up in refusal of his gift, Damon took the long, silver chain and placed it over her outstretched fingers. He wasn't taking no for an answer. Whatever sense of dread had led her to come to his home, it had followed her. He had not slept that night, having felt that they were not completely safe; at least not when it was dark.

"I wasn't asking, Elena. We can talk about it later."

Understanding that they would probably have a lengthy discussion, she conceded and put the delicate chain around her neck. She watched as her daughter reached out to her uncle to be picked up, while her son reached up and put his arms around her neck, smothering her in his warmth.

"You're so pretty, mommy."

"Yes she is, isn't she?"

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Finally feeling at ease, Damon decided to retire, telling them where the boundaries of the manor land began and ended. He knew that no one would dare come to his house during the daytime…not with all of the security that he had around.

The woods surrounding the Salvatore house were full of evergreens, giving the children many places to play hide and seek. For hours they wandered the grounds, feeling a freedom that was fleeting when they had lived back in the city. But they almost wandered away too far. One of the security guards stopped them before they crossed the invisible barrier.

"I'm sorry miss, but Mr. Salvatore has specific instructions that you are not to leave the grounds."

She smiled, wondering if Damon was being careful or if he was becoming possessive again. _This is why I don't want to stay here too long._

"That's fine. We're going to head back, anyway. It's almost time for lunch."

"Yes ma'am. That would be good."

Elena could feel the man watching her and the children closely as they made their way back from which they'd come. Halfway there, they saw another of the men, checking what was sure to be another boundary…then another. _Why does he have so much security? _ _Is he afraid of being broken into_? It was something she would have to speak to him about after the children had gone to sleep that night.

After lunch, the rest of the afternoon passed rather quietly. The children colored pictures, and Ariel even found the time to play on her uncle's grand piano…though she was warned not to be too loud. It might wake him.

Two minutes after the sun went down; the butler came to tell them that dinner was being served.

"Okay, you two…go wash up."

She was met by the groans that only a mother could love.

"Go on! Go upstairs, or your food will get cold."

"Not likely."

She turned and saw Damon leaning against the doorframe, smiling sardonically. She sighed, realizing that even after all the problems they'd had…including him having tried to kill her once or twice…she had missed him; at least for a few seconds.

"Damon."

"Elena."

His slight smile twisted upward into a genuine grin. He had missed her, too. But the demon inside him probably would not let them be at peace long enough for him to see what could come of it.

The children came tumbling down the stairs, and again Ariel went straight for her uncle. She wrapped her arms around him, leaning her head on his chest as he picked her up.

"You smell just like daddy."

Her daughter's revelation brought a tear to her eye. But Andrew added his two cents, without missing a beat.

"But he's not. And that's that."

He pouted, causing Elena to give him a quick kiss on the forehead before putting him down again.

"All right you two…time to eat."

They moved when Damon spoke. She chuckled. _At least they'll listen to him_. The children were famous for trying to ignore their mother when she asked them to do things.

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She found herself sitting in front of the huge marble fireplace once again. Its heat made her toes feel delicious as she stretched her legs out. Elena was absentmindedly fingering the chain around her neck while waiting for Damon to return from putting the children to bed.

The air that surrounded him seemed to hum as he stepped into the room. It always had, she'd just never admitted how much. It was never that she hadn't been attracted to her brother-in-law; she was just in love with Stefan. In the end, there had been no real choice to be made. She sat still, waiting for him to sit down in the chair adjacent to hers. But Damon was one who really liked to stand. It gave him a better vantage point of his prey.

"They're fast asleep."

He came round in front of her, placing himself at the corner of the mantle again. But to her surprise, he actually sat down for once on the tile step. She looked at his face, which for once seemed relaxed…the glint to his eyes could have been described as almost mischievous.

"Are you okay, Elena?"

Nodding, she realized she had been staring at him. She felt the color in her cheeks rise along with the heat of embarrassment.

"I do believe I've caught you staring at me, haven't I? Oh my dear Elena, you shouldn't have."

The mocking tone he conveyed quickly put the embarrassment to rest. _Same old Damon_. She straightened herself up in the chair a little before she spoke.

"I really don't need this, Damon."

She started to undo the clasp, but he was at her neck, grasping her fingers in his. The heat of his breath on her skin was unnerving when he spoke.

"I think you do, pet. If anyone out there knows it by sight, then they will think that you are taken, and that they'd best leave you alone."

He was still holding her hand, right above her lovely little neck. She struggled to find the breath to speak.

"But I'm not taken, Damon. You and I both know that."

Damon leaned in and smelled the fragrance of her hair. She smelled like lilies in the first days of summer. He slowly lowered his mouth to her ear, whispering.

"Yes, but they don't. You'll keep it on until we know who and what is after you. Understood?"

She nodded her ascension as he took his heat away from her. Vampires were supposed to be cold, unfeeling. But his closeness had unnerved her. It had been a long time since she'd felt this way. In the end, she was still a human woman, with the same needs and desires as any other.

"Damon…."

"Shh…Elena. I have dinner to fetch."

He began to saunter out of the parlor, leaving her to calm her racing heart. But she stopped him before he could open the door.

"Damon…. May I come?"

A confused smile came to his lips as his brow furrowed. _Since when does she want to be around me?_ Maybe she didn't detest him after all. Bottom line was, Stefan's younger brother had never stopped loving her; he had just conceded that her love for Stefan had been greater than her attraction for him, and he had let her go. He nodded and held out his hand.

She surprised herself when she took it.

The night was surprisingly warm. Elena surmised it was because of the closeness the manor had to the ocean. Vampires usually stayed away from large bodies of water, but Damon had always enjoyed it. She sat down in a clearing in the woods.

"Go on…I know you're hungry. You don't have to remind me of everything."

He nodded, and wandered off to find his food. It wasn't long before he encountered a large doe, separated from the rest of the animals.

"You shouldn't be wandering alone out here, my pretty."

The heartbeat of the animal increased tenfold as he placed one hand on its back, but it did not move. He had caught it in some kind of trance. While it wanted to run on the inside, its limbs would never carry it away again.

Bathing him in the warmth of its lifeblood, the doe began to relax, comforting him. It was not human blood, but this would have to do. He began to take more aggressively as he thought of Elena. What the demon inside of him wanted was to take from her…to pierce her long, pale neck with its fangs. But he would control himself, and take only from animals for now. There was no need to scare her or his niece and nephew off so easily. He needed her to be around him again.

She looked up, smiling as he came back from his feeding. Elena remembered the feel of the hunt, of taking from an innocent. It was a powerful, throbbing need that she thought she would never forget. It reminded her of other needs…ones she hadn't attended to since the children had been born.

"Shall we?"

His proffered hand was there to pull her up off the forest floor. They quietly made their way back to the manor house. The closer they got, both realized that there were others present in the home. They were no longer alone.

Damon opened the door first, looking around in a protective stance. He needn't have. He recognized the man as he turned around to greet his old friend.

"Damon Salvatore. Long time no see."

Elena's mouth dropped open as she recognized the lilting voice of the man who had defended her in the bar. The shock on his face as he saw her could not be contained.

"Well, I'll be…."

"A monkey's uncle? Mr. O'Connell."

With her cool gaze she looked him over again. _He's older than I thought._ But the smile he had given her back in the restaurant was there again, paired with a bit of confusion. Damon broke the uncomfortable moment of silence.

"You know each other."

"Yes." "No."

Elena negated and O'Connell confirmed.

"I've met him once…in a bar. This is the man who came to my aid when that biker guy was interrupting my drink. So, Damon, how long have you been having me watched?"

He could feel the barely contained anger beneath her words. But it was really unwarranted, as he had no idea what she was talking about. Adrian thought it was time he spoke up before his friend got in trouble with the nice lady.

"Actually, he hasn't. And no…I'm not lying. I came by because something disturbing has been happening in the Night World. Some of the whispers come with Damon's name attached."

She stood with one hand on her hip, the other gripping her chin. This guy was a friend of Damon's, from the Night World? She shook her head and started for the stairs.

"You two can catch up without me. I'm heading off to bed."

The dreams that came with her sleep were troubled again. Especially with the clearer vision of his face within them.

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Adrian chuckled as he watched her go. Seemed like he'd interrupted something that might have almost been intimate…had they not been coming in from the chill outside.

"So, Salvatore…how's life been treating you these days? Or should I say the 'unlife'."

Damon walked over to the sitting room, heading for the bar tray that his butler left out for the human guests. He poured a hi-ball glass full of dark amber-colored liquid, and then downed it in one gulp.

"Careful there, man. I don't know about you vampires, but we humans can get pretty wiped out after a couple of those."

The drinking man nodded, then repeated his glass. He nodded toward Adrian, indicating if he wanted a round or not. Then he repeated a third. O'Connell waved the notion away.

"No thanks, I think I'll just have a seat. Nice lady's staying with you, hmm?"

Damon sank down into another of the chairs; something he usually only did when he was alone. For a person who had just had the equivalent of three shots of brandy, he was doing a pretty good job of staying sober.

"Yes, my sister in-law and her children are paying me a visit."

His arched eyebrows almost gave away that he was thinking his friend's words were complete BS. He had seen the necklace around Elena's pretty throat. And those usually didn't come with unless you were the property of the person beside you.

"Sister in-law? But I thought…?"

"My brother Stefan's wife. And yes…Stefan is dead."

"Which makes her his widow? Well, now isn't that something? Free for the taking, I guess."

Damon's hackles were up. He did not like the track this conversation was taking. His response was rather curt.

"She is not. Now tell me why you are here, at my home, in the middle of the night?"

Adrian settled in to tell his story. He hoped that Damon was really listening, or that pretty little lady and her kids were in a whole lot of trouble.

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	5. Hearing voices

"So what you're telling me is they're after me, or after him?"

Between bites of pancakes covered with gooey syrup, Elena was making an attempt to have a conversation with Adrian O'Connell. Turned out the man had known Damon for years…but he wasn't a vampire. Just a human being who had been in the right place at the right time.

"Yep."

She chuckled. The man sure was doing an easy job at being mysterious, even if he wasn't meaning to. Waving her hand in front of his face, she attempted to get his full attention again.

"Hello, Mr. Space Cadet, did you hear what I said?"

Adrian smiled sheepishly. He really liked this woman…even with her annoying little kids. Elena couldn't have been more than twenty-five in his eyes, though he knew that she had to be a few years older. Damon had been telling her about his golden angel for years. He just never realized that it had been the man's sister in-law.

"Sorry. I was thinking about something else. You were saying?"

"I asked you who they're after, Damon or me."

The response was barely audible as she tried not to choke on the latest mouthful. He had made her laugh without even intending to, and that was something that she valued a lot in life.

Since coming to Damon Salvatore's seaside manor, she had begun to remember great deal of things that had been forgotten with the rigors of everyday human life. Especially one that entailed having five year-old twins. Many of the emotions she had so cherished before, even envied humans for when she had been turned were starting to come back to her as if a switch had been flipped.

"Sorry about that. I usually don't talk with my mouth full."

That smile again. It was a very disarming one. Elena thought that it was very probable with the combination of his smile and his gentle voice…not to mention those bright green eyes and curly brown locks, that this man had bedded many a willing woman. Not to mention ones that hadn't been with a man in…. _Five years, stupid. Stop thinking about it._

Across the table from her, Adrian was admiring the flush that came to Elena's cheeks. He wondered what was going through her mind at that moment. If it was anything like the thoughts that were traveling through his brain, he could understand the reason for embarrassment. He could picture her, lying beneath him, as he was preparing to satisfy every animal urge he had toward her. _I will keep you in check_. He wasn't letting that part of him out any time soon…though he desperately wanted to when he was around this woman.

She had an effect on him that he hadn't felt in a long time. Though outwardly he looked young, Adrian had ages of time beneath his belt. He was almost as old as the Salvatore brothers. But he wondered why Damon had never mentioned Elena. _Because he's keeping her for himself._ He tried to quiet the inner voice that wanted out…now. It was a difficult undertaking, but something he would have to learn to do, even as he was thinking of doing any number of things to her creamy, white flesh.

"Hellooooo…anybody home?"

She was doing it again; waving her hand in front of his face. He had zoned out again…this time for more than a few minutes. Her expression this time was one of concern.

"Adrian, are you okay? You're looking a bit peakish this morning."

He swallowed hard and nodded. _If you only knew, little lady_. He pushed the chair back from the table and stood up to go.

"If you'll excuse me, I think you may be right. I'm going to head for the loo. I'll finish this conversation later."

She nodded and watched him bound up the stairs. _That was odd. You must stop having that effect on men, Elena_. She laughed aloud at the voice inside her head, which was becoming more and more prevalent these days.

Concentrating hard on the plate in front of her, she wondered if she really had the room to finish off all this breakfast.

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_**I'd appreciate a review or two. It helps me to see if you are following the story, or if I'm being way too vague. It's that little purple button on the bottom of the page, thank you.**_

_**Happy reading. Next chapter will be up soon!**_


	6. In Dreams

_I had you once before. I will not let you get away so easily this time._

She looked up at him, watching him change form as he came softly into her room. She lay there, bare to the waist except for her undergarments, wondering how he'd gotten there in the first place.

_How long it's been since I could touch you, Elena._

For a minute, she thought that she was staring straight at the ghost of Stefan. But she knew it couldn't be true. One, he wouldn't be speaking to her in her mind. And two, he wouldn't be on this plane of existence. It wasn't the bargain he'd made with fate.

_Damon? _

The unspoken thought came alive in the air around them. He smiled as he heard his name, his eyes glinting obsidian in the moonlight. She remembered that smile, that face, those hands. Even though he was still perched at the foot of her bed, Elena could feel every inch of him as if they were skin to skin.

_Even here is better than not at all._

It was then that she realized that they were only in a dream. But whose dream? Was it hers? Was it his? The fact didn't matter to her as he began coming closer to her. A dream is just a dream. It can't hurt you if you don't let it. _Unless it was a trance_. She'd been in one of those once. She had been dying, and Damon led her to be one of the undead; against everything her beloved would have wanted.

_But had you truly died, what would have become of Andrew and Ariel?_

The thought was fleeting, but again, she felt as if he could hear that, too. He spoke again inside her mind.

_I need you, Elena. Please don't leave me again_.

Was it something that she wanted deep down inside? No. She didn't. She couldn't. Desire was not the same as love. Neither was need. Her body desired Damon, but it did not need him. She could fill the need with someone else. Someone like….

_O'Connell? He's not everything he seems._

She spoke aloud that time.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

It was becoming a familiar question for her to ask. Many things in her life were beginning to be unanswered questions, whether she liked it or not. It had started with her rebirth; continued with the death of her beloved, followed by the birth of her children. And now, she was back to where she had started. Albeit she wasn't in the folly of Fell's Church, but that was just as well.

_Elena, come to me._

But she could not move; did not budge. A dream did not have sensations this vivid. She wasn't meant to feel this alive…this real. She could feel her heart racing, and her head telling her body to stay still, to resist temptation.

The temptation would not be denied.

There was something gentle in his midnight eyes as he leaned over her. Perhaps this wasn't a dream. He seemed confused…out of place. Before the peace, Damon had only wanted Elena as a means to destroy his brother Stefan…as a means of revenge against the one who had taken Katherine away from him.

It had taken Stefan more than four-hundred years to broker peace with his own flesh and blood. And it had taken only one night of Elena as a pawn to destroy that peace.

But that was the past. This was a different time. Stefan was gone, and his deal with fate meant that nothing could bring him back. He existed only in memory now. And memory was not enough to keep a person warm at night. Damon was timeless and familiar. And no matter what the problems were that had been between them, she knew him, and he knew her.

She let go of her trepidation and gave into her need to be near him. Her desire to be loved. Elena knew that Damon really loved no one but himself, but he had made a promise to a dying man to protect that most precious to him in all the world. And for now, that would have to be enough. Even if it was only a dream.

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The sun was high in the afternoon sky before she woke. She couldn't remember being this tired since….

She gasped at her reflection in the mirror. It was all so familiar. The tiredness she felt, the pale tint to her skin. The nauseous feeling she was beginning to have around food.

"I'll kill him."

The knock on her door went unheard as she stood there examining the delicate flesh of her neck. There were two neat little puncture holes that shouldn't be. Elena didn't realize Adrian O'Connell had been there long enough until he spoke, reflecting her sentiment in his words that came through gritted teeth.

"You won't have to."

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She tried hard to reason with the man, but there was no budging him. O'Connell was standing at the door to the crypt, banging as hard and as loud as he could.

"Get out here Salvatore and answer for yourself! No more excuses from your little minions and servants. Explain yourself!"

Hadrian, the butler, came down the stairs with a thoroughly worried look upon his features.

"I'm sorry Miss Elena, Mr. O'Connell, but the Master isn't here. You may bang all you like, but he left before the dawn and has yet to return."

Adrian swung round, grabbing the meek little man by his scrawny bird-like neck. How easy it would be for him to snap that neck. _Do it!_ He'd thought he'd quieted down the voice for the day. _Apparently not._

"No duh, Sherlock. I didn't think he was here, because he definitely isn't deaf. Where did he go?"

The poor man cringed as if he was going to soil himself.

"I'm sorry sir, but the Master did not say. And I have no right to ask. His only mandate was to keep all of you safe inside the house. He said it was too dangerous this evening even for the children to venture out."

"Damn, and I wanted to kick a little vampire ass today. Come on, Elena. Let's go have a look at that neck."

The curious look on the butler's face was enough to send Elena hurrying up the stairs. It was a warmer day, but she wasn't going to remove the scarf she wore in front of any of them. The nanny had taken the children to another wing of the manor house to have an indoor picnic, and the wing where Elena stayed was quiet and alone.

"I'm sorry, but I need to take a peek."

Her skin burned where he touched her, as if she had been singed by a branding iron. He laughed lowly as she flinched; then chuckled out loud.

"Don't worry, miss. I don't bite. I think that's already been taken care of, in this case."

Elena willed her shoulders to relax. But every bell and whistle in every nerve ending was going off, the closer he got. She felt her pulse begin to quicken, and her breathing became more shallow. She'd known she'd have this reaction if she ever got this close to the man. _Damn your mind in the gutter_. He was close enough that she could smell him, breathing in the scent of the man.

Apparently Adrian did not miss her reaction, either. Equally green eyes looked straight at one another as his hand moved from her neck to cup her chin.

"I really shouldn't do this."

Throwing caution to the wind, he kissed her gently, exploring her taste with his tongue. Moving his other hand to her chest, he pulled off her necklace of lapis lazuli and tossed it to the dresser behind her.

"You won't need that now."

Elena gave into the kisses that followed. She knew that she shouldn't, but she couldn't help it. Not after all the dreams she'd had, the desire she'd felt. Being satisfied in your dreams was one thing, but here, in front of her now was a living, breathing man who she could not deny.

Ever so slightly she felt the eyes of the crow, watching her intensely as she lay down beneath Adrian O'Connell. And for once, she smiled back.


	7. Desire

The air was eerily still as she stood out on her balcony, looking up at the twinkling stars above. There was a chill in the air, but she felt alive…so alive. The memories of when she was seventeen zipped in and out of her mind, as quickly as they'd come.

She wasn't seventeen anymore. She was a mother, of twins. And she was being followed. _But by whom?_

Elena winced as she touched the two tiny puncture wounds in the delicate skin of her neck. They were still sensitive to the slightest of pressures. The memories of a time long ago brought the slightest of smiles to her lips. And then she frowned. She wasn't that person anymore. She couldn't be.

Damon still hadn't come back. It had been two days, and no one in the manor had seen him. Not even Hadrian the butler. She looked questioningly out into the night sky. But she could hear nothing…. Feel nothing. Any trace of power she'd had, had left her long ago.

"Damon! Damon, answer me!"

_God, does this seem familiar_.

"Yes, it does, doesn't it? But I don't want to see you that way again, Elena."

There was a tinge of sadness to his voice. He was behind her. He was a cold, dark vampire; but she'd learned that he did indeed have a soul. And with a soul came a conscience. It had just taken him a long time to find it, once he knew where to look. She spoke without turning around.

"Where have you been, Damon?"

Touching her lightly between the shoulder blades, he drew in the scent of her. His canines began to protrude, and with a light flick of the tongue, he caused them to quickly retract. He wanted Elena, desperately, but not like that. Not this time. He drew in a sharp breath as his fingers came to rest on the side of her neck.

"Where did that come from?"

She laughed shallowly.

"What, you don't know? Don't tell me you didn't put it there, Damon. We both know you've been visiting me in my dreams. I guess you and I got carried away."

As she turned, he gazed at the nightgown she was wearing. The gauzy, white material barely concealed her pale skin, and the new curves that he was unaccustomed to seeing. They were womanly curves. Not like the thin lines that she'd had as a younger woman. This was the body of a mother.

His voice caught in his throat as he looked up into her eyes. They had begun to shine a deep blue green, catching the light from the newly glowing moon. He could get lost again in those eyes. The years had made him a less hardened man than he'd been when his little brother was still alive. Or undead, as the case had been.

Elena could see the confusion in his dark eyes. _Maybe it wasn't him_. But who had it been? She reached up to touch his face, confused by the truth she saw in them.

"It wasn't you. But if it wasn't you, then…."

She stopped speaking as he pulled her hand to his lips. The attraction between them was still there, after all this time. It had been something that even in her youth she had been unable to avoid. Only her stronger love for Stefan had been able to bring her out of the void that Damon had pulled her into. But deep down, she knew he hadn't meant her any harm. Everything to him was a game, but he had come to love her.

"Damon, don't…."

Her words were cut off by the feel of his lips crushing her own. She didn't feel the cold anymore. A gentle warmth was slowly spreading across her skin…through her blood. Elena reached up to push him away, but as her hand touched his chest, she pulled him in closer instead. Damon was the first to break the kiss.

"Elena, maybe we shouldn't."

Inside, a little voice was nagging at her. Not two days ago, she'd made love with O'Connell…who was basically a complete stranger. And now, she was honestly considering…. _You are such a slut._ The nagging voice reminding her of Meredith was crushed by a stronger need…one that she was giving in to.

"Shut up, Damon. I really don't want to hear you talk."

Disappointed, he looked down at her, and then gasped as he saw the twinkle in her eyes. The twinkle gave way to the smoky, glazed look of desire, and returned it with his own. She wanted him; he could smell it oozing from her every pore.

_The demon is coming._

Effortlessly he lifted her to the bed. It gave way to the increase in weight from the two bodies entwined. She felt release, and contentment…then confusion as she felt Damon quickly pull away. Opening her eyes, she saw him fighting with himself.

_The demon is coming._

A gust of wind blew through her as he shrunk away into the shadows without a word. It chilled her to the bone. He was afraid. _Afraid of himself, or afraid of what he might do to me?_ She pulled the sheets tightly up to her neck, knowing that she would have to speak to him again with the rising sun.

She did not dream.

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The sun was unusually bright the next morning, but it did not hurt her eyes. Elena rose, slipping into the red silk robe Damon had brought to her room the night before. A gift, she supposed. Walking into the hallway, she noticed that once again the sound of her children was absent from the air.

"Hadrian, where are the children?"

Efficient as a machine, the butler was juggling two vases while dusting an eighteenth century sideboard. He barely acknowledged her as he responded.

"They have gone outside with Matrisse, the new nanny that the master has hired. They will be back in time for lunch. If you'll excuse me."

With a swift movement, he placed the vases back down and was gone; off to finish another rudimentary task.

Elena shook her head. Wonders never cease. The rumbling in her stomach reminded her of where the kitchen was. But before she could get there, she ran into a gentle, smiling face.

"Hello beautiful."

He kissed her on the lips…but not a gentle one. This was one with pent-up desire underneath, and as he raised his head, she could see the look in his eyes…. It was as if he wanted to eat her there on the spot.

"You look delicious."

Blushing, she turned away, avoiding his gaze. She'd heard those words before, from Damon. She thought about the night before, the things she'd done. And it brought a sense of shame to be thinking of one man while in front of the other. She would have to go to Damon that morning…before this gets any more out of hand. Elena knew she deserved to be happy, but there was a history between the two, and Adrian she barely knew.

"I'm hungry."

Quizzically, O'Connell followed Elena to the dining room. Breakfast had already been laid out for them by the kitchen maid. He watched her move cautiously as she gathered her food onto her plate. It was as if she was watching him watching her.

"Elena, are you all right this morning? How's your neck?"

With a fleeting touch, she reached up to feel the wounds on her neck, which had already healed. It made an image of Damon appear in her mind, and she shivered.

"Yes, I'm fine."

"I'm sorry, love, but I don't believe you."

She still couldn't meet his gaze, nor he hers. They both had their secrets.

The rest of the meal was spent silently, each lost in their own thoughts.

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	8. A Shock to the System

_**The song lyrics are from Sarah McLachlan's 'Black'. Thank you for the song, Ms. McLachlan. It seems a bit appropriate here. **_

_**To those of you reading along, thank you for your consideration. I've tried writing more along the lines of what L.J. Smith intended, but I can't. Imagination is my muse. And we all know what happens when we don't follow our muse.**_

_**Beyond that, Prospero Ano Nuevo. That's Happy New Year to those who don't speak Spanish. Bye.**_

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_**If I cried me a river of all my confessions  
Would I drown in my shallow regret  
As the walls are closing in  
And the colors fade to black  
And the night is falling fast and deep into the sea  
And in the darkness all that I can see  
The frightened and the weak  
Are forced to cling to mistakes they know nothing of  
At mercy are the meek**_

"Nice music you're listening to there, pet. Now, would you mind telling me just what is bothering you, Elena? No excuses…I'm not in the mood for them."

Adrian O'Connell knew that he may not have known her for long, but he'd been drawn to Elena Salvatore since the moment he'd seen her in that bar. And when Her goons had tried to interrupt Elena's peace, he'd just had to stick his nose in it…never dreaming it would lead him to this place.

Looking around, he realized that Damon had taken great pains in the construction of his manor. On the outside, it looked just like any other 19th Century estate house…. But the entire inside had been gutted and reconstructed. He wasn't completely sure, but Adrian thought there might be a secret passage here and there. Not bad for a vampire.

Elena shrugged. She hadn't seen Damon all day, and when she'd left O'Connell at the table that morning, she didn't feel like speaking about it any more than she did right now, either. She had been in the library for more than three hours, listening absentmindedly to some of her favorite music. But this one brought back more memories than most.

When Adrian came up behind her, she still said nothing. Leaning back, she made connection with his chest, as he wrapped his arms around her protectively. He was warm…so warm. Not cold and untouchable and frightening like Damon was. She had told Damon that he no longer frightened her, and that was partly true. It was what he did to her, what he made her feel that caused her to be frightened. He'd awakened things in her psyche that she'd thought were long buried. They were still in that position when a voice came from the open door.

"Well isn't that a lovely picture?"

The sarcasm in Damon's voice was barely hidden, as was the murderous look in his face. The anger and jealousy at seeing her like that with O'Connell could be felt radiating off of him in thick waves. So much so that Elena trembled in Adrian's protective embrace.

"What's that supposed to mean, Salvatore? The lady doesn't feel well."

"Oh, doesn't she."

Turning on his heel, seething, Damon made his way quickly down the stairs, heading for the front door. Elena stood, on her way to stop him, but Adrian grabbed her hand.

"Don't go, Elena. He'll get over it."

On the verge of tears, she shook her head. There were still too many things left unsaid for her to just let it go. And if she didn't try now, she was afraid that Damon would teeter back into the abyss that Stefan had worked so hard to get him out of.

"You don't understand, Adrian…. And it's something that you never may. But I have to go to him. It's getting dark, and if I don't go now, I may never catch up with him."

Adrian felt his chance with her slipping away, as his fingers were losing grip of her hand. _Now or never_. But should he listen to the voice inside? Would he take the chance of losing her if she knew what he really was? Things could never be that simple for him.

"Elena, I love you."

She stopped at the edge of the doorway, turned around slightly.

"I know."

But she still kept going. She had to talk with Damon. Nothing could ever be that simple in her world, either.

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A short while later, Elena found herself freezing and alone somewhere in the woods behind the manor. She'd long since lost sight of Damon. And knowing that he was angered, he probably was making it almost impossible for himself to be found.

The leaves and pine needles under her feet were beginning to make a crunching sound as she walked beneath the dark canopy. The moon, full and bright, was her only source of light to go by. If it hadn't been late fall, she never would have had enough light to see her hands if they were in front of her face.

She reached up with one of those hands to wipe away a few stray tears. Even she wasn't sure if they were from anger, sadness, or just plain frustration.

_Elena._

There it was again. Just a whisper on the wind.

_Elena._

"Damon, I didn't come out here to play games! Show yourself, or leave me alone!"

_Ele-na._

_No._ Something in the voice that said her name wasn't right. It wasn't Damon's. Almost, but not quite. There was the hint of an Italian accent to the voice. But the darkness and deepness that Damon's voice possessed was not present in the word.

_Elena_.

_Closer now_. She felt her heart begin to race, causing her blood to warm her fingers, which had lost sensation a few minutes before. Elena felt a familiar feeling then. She felt like prey.

"I've got to get out of these woods."

Frantically, she began to look for a way out, but she was completely turned around.

"Moss. I've got to look for moss. Dammit!"

The curse released from her lips as she fell on a tree's exposed roots. Then she felt it crack. The throbbing pain coming from her right ankle made her realize it was useless now.

She carefully and quietly tried to put a little wait on it. The movement brought fresh, hot tears to her eyes and a wave of pain made her dizzy. She was forced to sit down where she was, and she began to pray.

"Hello Elena."

The person was in front of her now. But the face that she saw was an impossible one.

"No. You can't be. NO! You're dead!"

It laughed a cruel, sickening laugh.

"Undead, maybe. I died hundreds of years ago, mi amore. So just what have you been doing to keep yourself busy, hmmm? Seen my brother lately?"

She was beginning to shake, and to go into shock. There was no way he could be here. She'd watched him die. Watched him burn. There was no coming back from that. His ashes had been scattered in four different places around the earth. There was just no way.

He bent down and looked straight into her trembling face. Those brilliant, emerald green eyes. But something was different…just enough that something inside of Elena clicked, right as he was going in for the delicate skin of her neck.

"NO! You're not Stefan! You might look like him, you might sound like him. But you cannot be!"

"Get away from her!"

The growl was murderous coming from Damon. He had appeared before them, dark and menacing in the almost nonexistent light. His fangs were bared, and he looked ready for a fight.

"She may not be able to sense you, but I can. And I know that you sure as hell on earth are not my brother."

The thing in front of her slinked away from her ever so slowly, pulling back a safe distance before it spoke to her again.

"I'll be seeing you."

Where it had been, a falcon appeared, its black feathers glinting as it flew away.

"Damon!"

She felt light as air as he lifted her up and carried her out of the woods. She let go a sob that had been filling her chest since he'd appeared in the darkness.

"You shouldn't have come after me, Elena."

"But Damon, I had to…."

"Shh. It can wait until we are home."

_Home._ The word sounded wonderful coming off of his lips, and she rested her head heavily on his chest as he carried her back.


	9. A loss

O'Connell met them at the door as a wolf howled eerily from somewhere in the woods behind them.

"Oh my God…what happened?"

Damon was not in the mood for questioning. He was not in the mood for much of anything at that moment. And Elena wasn't speaking up.

"Salvatore, what happened to her? Answer me!"

He reached out to grab the vampire's arm, but stopped himself short. The look he was given told him not to touch unless he wanted nothing more than a stump to remain. Hadrian the butler ran down the grand staircase, sputtering as he did.

"Master, oh no…water Master…water and bandages are up in her room, Master. Just as you directed Master."

"Thank you Hadrian, that will be all."

It was then that Adrian noticed the chain around the servant's neck. He was no longer in his tight-collared butler outfit, and his robe did not conceal the amulet encased in gold and silver filigree. _Lapis…lapis lazuli. The man is a vampire, too_. That was how he'd known Damon was returning with Elena. He'd sent him the message ahead of him.

"O'Connell, I will meet you in my library in one hour. Agreed?"

Nodding his head, Adrian turned around to close and lock the huge stone doors behind him. He knew that he would spend the hour pacing back and forth amongst the books, waiting for his host to make an entrance.

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"Enough, Damon. I don't need a tranquilizer. I feel much safer like this, with a clear head."

He grabbed her hand, placing two pills in her cold palm.

"Take them, Elena. The medicine will help you sleep."

She sighed. He didn't understand her clearly. It wasn't that she didn't want to sleep. It was that too many things were coming out in her dreams. They still didn't know how she had been bitten, and she didn't want a repeat performance.

"I'll make a deal with you. You go and talk with O'Connell. Leave Hadrian here with me. That way, I'm not alone, and I'll take the pills when you come back. Okay?"

Reluctantly, he did agree. His jaw squared, Damon began heading for the door, when Elena's soft voice stopped him.

"Before you go downstairs, check on the children, would you?"

He nodded, silently gearing himself up for a fight.

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The roar coming from the children's wing made Elena shoot upright in the bed, her skin turning even paler than it already was. With an agonizing cry, Damon shot into the room. O'Connell, running up the stairs, wasn't far behind.

"They're gone, Elena! Gone!"

Her heart, and time, stopped. _No. Not my children. Not my angels_. They couldn't be gone. She'd put them to sleep right after dinner.

"Not my babies, Damon. Tell me you're not talking about my babies, Damon! Not my babies…."

Her speech began to become incoherent as she returned to a shocked state.

"Hold her!"

Damon reached around to a medical kit that Hadrian had left sitting on the chaise lounge earlier. They were pretty isolated at the manor, and he had resigned himself to keeping a few supplies on hand, just in case. He drew two ccs of a clear liquid out of one of the vials, then injected the exposed skin on her right arm, while Adrian held her down. He cursed under his breath as he did so.

"O'Connell, we've got to find my niece and nephew. You didn't see anyone leave the manor with them, did you?"

"No! I was waiting in the library downstairs! There are way too many ways for someone to get out of this place anyway. I told you before Salvatore, you trust too many people with your secrets."

Maybe the man was right. Maybe he had trusted the wrong person. But there was nothing he could do about it now. He would have to find the traitor out after he had Elena's children back in their possession.

"I can't leave her now."

He used the Power. Searching with his mind, he tried his best to feel the children out. But it was no use. What he felt was the equivalent of a mental brick wall. Someone, equally as strong as he, was blocking him. One thing he did gather before he was cut off was that the children were safe, and unfrightened.

"O'Connell, I'm going to get my rest now. I'm not as strong as I used to be. I need you to question all of the staff that is indoors, and make sure everything is locked up tight. I'll stay with her until the morning…then we'll look for them as the sun rises."

Adrian nodded, not liking that he couldn't wait there with her himself. But he wasn't going to tell the man to get out of what was his own room in his own home. He set out into the rest of the house, prepared to do what was necessary to bring Elena her peace.

But the medicine didn't affect Elena like they'd thought it would. She'd already had enough blood transfer to keep her from having a large side effect. As Damon laid down beside her, she turned to him, her mind suddenly clear…. It was inescapably clear. She knew what she had to do.

"Turn me, Damon. It's the only way."

His sharp intake of breath let her know exactly what he thought of her idea. He violently shook his head in response. But she was not to be deterred.

"It's the only way, Damon. This person, this thing…they've got my children. I know it. And I also know that a human woman with a broken ankle is going to be no match for whatever is out there…waiting for me. I don't think he'll harm the kids. It's me that he wants."

"But Elena…there will be no going back from this one this time. There are no miracles waiting for you on the other side. I know you remember what it was like last time. Are you sure you're ready for that undertaking?"

She nodded, completely sure of her decision. It was the only way she could defend herself against the burgeoning evil that had two of the most precious things that were in her feeble life. She wanted them back, and would do anything for them.

"Yes. I understand. Just make sure you don't take too much."

Smiling weakly, Elena brushed back the few golden strands that covered her delicate flesh, using the elegant fingers of her right hand. She steeled herself for the sting of his teeth.

"Just make it quick."

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	10. Found

"Stop Salvatore. Stop right there."

Elena opened her eyes to see Adrian standing there, a sword in his hand. He'd known somehow that this might happen, and he wasn't about to let it.

"Adrian, it's all right. I asked Damon to do it."

"No! There are other ways, Elena. I can't let you do it. I won't."

Damon shrunk away from her. O'Connell was right. There had to be another way.

"He's right, Elena. Let me get some rest, and we'll talk about this in the morning."

He turned, meeting the other man's gaze as a silent instruction passed between them. Adrian nodded, knowing that he needed to stay the night with her. It was something he had already counted on.

The door closed behind his host, and Adrian made his way to the head of the bed. Elena was exasperated. _These are my children we're talking about. _As if able to read her thoughts, he spoke quietly.

"They'll be fine, Elena. There are only two people here that could have had access to your children in order to remove them from the estate. One of them is Hadrian, and the other is Matrisse. Problem is that we were all outside long enough not to notice."

"We? What do you mean, we?"

He shook his head. Adrian knew she'd thought he'd stayed at the table like a good little man. But there was no way he was going to let anyone harm a hair on her golden head. She'd gotten under his skin in such a short period of time.

"You didn't think I was going to just sit there at the table, waiting for you to come back, did you? I meant what I said, Elena. I love you. I can't explain it…. Hell, I can barely understand it. But I love you, and I'm not going to let anyone or anything hurt you. And that includes Damon, if need be."

She felt the familiar sting of happy tears in her emerald eyes. Adrian bent down to kiss her, but was interrupted by a quick rap on the bedroom door.

"Come in."

Hadrian rushed in, and began to speak rapidly, apparently out of breath.

"Madame Elena…. Th-the ch-children…. They are okay."

She shot upright quickly.

"My babies? Where are they? Where have they been? What happened? Are they fine?"

She spoke so quickly she wasn't allowing the poor butler to get a word in edgewise.

"Madame, they are fine. They went out to look for you after you followed the Master into the dark. Matrisse has put them back to bed for the night."

Elena rose from the bed and slipped on her robe. She turned to Adrian, who was still sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Wait here for me. I'm going to kiss them goodnight, then come back to bed. Please?"

He smiled, nodding his head, and wondering why she wanted him to wait for her – all at the same time.

"Okay, then. I'll be right back."

When she was in the children's room, she stood for a few seconds at the end of each bed. Hadrian had been right. They were sleeping peacefully in their beds, as if nothing had ever been amiss. Elena bent over and kissed each one of them on the cheek, tucking their covers up to their necks. She made a silent prayer to God to watch over them, and then made her way back to her own chambers.

Adrian was still there. Waiting. His face lit up as she walked into the room. _Lord, he's so gorgeous when he smiles_. She felt the familiar desire bubbling up inside of her. It was coupled with fear. _He told me he loves me. _And he was right. They barely knew each other, but the feelings were there, stirring up something that she had forgotten since Stefan's death. She thought she would never be able to love another person again. But the fates apparently had other ideas on the subject.

She climbed up into the bed and pulled the voluminous covers up over her legs. Holding out one hand to him, she looked up to meet his gaze.

"Come lie with me, please."

Adrian lay down the sword at the foot of the bed, then climbed into the soft mattress with her. She wrapped one leg around him, and settled her head against his chest.

"Watch out for your ankle, love. I don't think you'll want to have to reset it in the morning."

Elena smiled as she drifted off to sleep.

But Adrian did not sleep. He kept a very watchful eye on the balcony, where he could see the feathers of a falcon, glinting in the burgeoning moonlight.

_**Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

_**To any of you who are reading this: I am sooooo very sorry it took me this long to get back on track with this story. A lot of other things were coming up in life and I just had to take a break. **_

_**Thanks for your patience, and I'll get the next installment up soon!**_


	11. Update

To those of you waiting for an update:

I am getting to it. My muse actually died, for a little while, and then the kids got

sick…people went on vacation…then **I **got sick. I'll try to work on the next part

sometime this weekend that is coming up. It so bites that BSG is on hiatus until

October…. Maybe my imagination will run wild. _Must go watch my DVDs, must go _

_watch, must go watch, must go watch…._ARRRRRRGGGGGH!

Until then…


	12. The Light of Day

_**Sorry that it has been sooooooo long since I've updated. It's just been one thing after another in my little boring life. So, without speaking too much about it, onward we go.**_

_**The blip of song is from Fear by Sarah McLachlan.**_

* * *

****

_Morning smiles  
Like the face of a newborn child  
Innocent unknowing…._

Elena felt so warm. As she slowly opened her eyes, she had to squint against the glare of the morning sun. She wasn't sure what time it was, only that she had most definitely overslept.

As she placed both feet on the floor, the dull ache she felt in her ankle reminded her of the previous night's events. _The children._ Slowly she began to hobble down the long hallway to find her precious babies; reminders of a life she could no longer have.

The room was empty when she opened the door, but she could hear the tinkling of their laughter as she neared the balcony that overlooked a large courtyard behind the manor. Looking down, she saw her daughter being swung around through the air, as her son clung onto O'Connell's leg, trying to pull the tall man down. The sight brought a light smile to her features as she turned around to go and find some breakfast.

* * *

From the courtyard below, Adrian had been playing with the two children for more than an hour when he felt someone watching. He looked up and squinted in the bright light, seeing a light figure come out onto one of the balconies overlooking the grass. Smiling lightly, he placed Ariel back onto the ground and reached to pull up Andrew to the same height as his sister.

"Okay you two, looks like your mommy has finally woken up. What do you say we go and get some breakfast now? Hmmm?"

Andrew nodded quietly, while Ariel stood there, her tiny hands placed in fists on either side of her hips.

"I'm not ready to go inside yet. I'm not hungry."

He reached down and ruffled her already messed up hair.

"Well, miss, perhaps a little glass of juice would do you just as good. I think we'd better go make sure your mommy slept well, okay?"

After thinking furiously about it for several seconds, Ariel moved her fingers to her chin and nodded her approval. And they each grabbed onto one of Mr. O'Connell's great big bear hands, walking him into the manor.

Elena looked up and held her arms out to embrace her little ones, who at the sight of her sitting there had quickly released Mr. O'Connell's hands in favor of squirming in their mommy's arms instead. Elena did not miss the quick wink that Adrian gave her before he sat down in the chair opposite.

"So, Mrs. Salvatore, did you sleep well?"

"As well as can be expected. Though my ankle seems to be swelling up again."

He got up from his seat and kneeled down before her, taking her delicate limb into his hands, examining it. His lips pursed together and he nodded.

"It was set fine, but you're going to have to keep off of it for quite a while. The doctor's office will be open after one if you'd like me to take you."

Elena lowered her eyes, nodding in return. There weren't many places she wouldn't like him to take her. _Shame on you!_ The little voice was back, and it was warring, apparently, with her conscience.

"Yes, Mr. O'Connell. That would be nice."

Adrian smirked and nearly choked on his juice at the sound of his surname, coming so properly from her lips. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught the narrowing of the little girl's eyes, quickly causing him to sober up and continue on as if he hadn't heard a thing beneath her words.

"Yes, Ma'am."


	13. Staking Claim

_Long time, no see, my fellow fleshlings. I hope that you are all doing well, and thank goodness my muse has returned. Nothing like a vivid dream or two to get the creative juices flowing. So have fun, happy reading, and hopefully I'll keep the ball rolling for a little while. Toodles! - M._

* * *

Several weeks passed. Elena found herself one afternoon, sitting upon a crisp, white chaise lounge that one of the servants had placed upon the balcony for her. She gingerly twisted her ankle, hearing the now familiar pop it gave after she'd had her cast removed nearly a week ago. It was a warm day, one for relaxing and planning and looking about.

But she chose to set in the sun, watching the children play in the garden below with their nanny, Matrisse. The lilting giggles of her twins' laughter rose up to greet her upon the breeze, and she smiled, her heart soaring.

"Would you like me to bring your lunch here, Miss?"

Startled, she turned to see one of the maids, Calliope was her name, if memory did not escape Elena's oft troubled thoughts of late. She hadn't heard the whisper of the door being opened with Calliope's entry.

"No thank you. I'm not hungry today."

"Excuse me for saying, Miss, but you're not looking too well today."

Elena nodded as the maid scuttled away to whence she'd come. It was true. Elena wasn't looking well as of recently. Too many bad dreams in the past few weeks. She'd managed to scream into a pillow to keep Adrian or Damon from hearing her. She knew the minute they did, both would come running to her aid. But a fight was brewing between them; one she didn't relish participating in.

Dinner was served in the drawing room as per usual. While the morning and afternoon had been delightfully warm, the evening was proving to bring its own chill to the bones. Damon sat at the head of the table, keeping up a light banter with the children while all the while watching Elena two chairs down from them. She was picking at her food again, and he tired of reminding her she needed to eat.

"Elena, what's wrong?"

"Nothing!"

The shocked looks on the children's faces let her know that she'd snapped at Adrian's inquiry. Elena gave everyone a sheepish smile before pulling back in her seat. It made a hideous scraping noise upon the hard floor beneath, only adding to the shocked silence around her.

"I'm sorry. If you'll excuse me, I am not feeling quite well."

She stood, nodding to them all, and stopping to address Damon.

"Would you mind putting the children to bed for me?"

Adrian watched the two closely, wondering what was really bothering her. He started to stand, calling to her.

"I'll help you upstairs."

But a palm held up to him negated that thought. She shook her head and said, "No thank you," before making her own way up the stairs.

* * *

Children tucked fast into bed, manor locked up tight, Damon began to walk the halls of the place he'd most recently called home. It was eerily quiet this night, and he kept his senses alert for the sounds of any intruders, physical or otherwise.

It was not long before he was met by O'Connell in the hall outside of Elena's room. It was as if the man was trying to guard her himself, though unsuccessfully, in his opinion.

"Excuse me, O'Connell."

Adrian looked at Damon through narrowed eyes and shook his head sharply.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"This is my house, O'Connell, and my brother's wife and his children are my guests – charges within my care. Something is not quite right here, and I'm going to check in on her."

Adrian didn't like it, but he, too, was just a guest when everything boiled down to it. He let Damon pass into Elena's room, but gritted his teeth in protest when he heard the sharp click of the lock upon the door. His thoughts were not exactly healthy as he waited in silence.

Damon stood at the foot of the bed, watching her. She looked so peaceful in her sleep. No foreign invaders in her room, the French doors were tightly shut, and he could see that the maid had listened to him, placing a wreath of vervain there to keep out the unwanted. No one and no thing would be able to cloud Elena's mind.

Hours passed, and yet still he stood, a statue frozen at attention. The only thing that moved were his eyes as watched her breathe, watched her begin to toss an turn. Her dreams were becoming unpleasant, and he saw Elena grab a pillow and scream into it as she woke in fright and tears.

Faster than movement itself, he was by her side, pulling her into his arms.

"Shhh....shhh.... nothing will hurt you, Elena. I won't sit by idly and let something harm you."

His words were slow, and soothing, and made her look up at him. She saw him clearly, then. Not the smart-assed, flippant personality that usually greeted her. Not the coldness that she'd seen as of late. With a trembling hand, Elena reached up and touched the man's cheek, feeling the soft stubble that he'd worn for centuries.

She'd often wondered why. Why had Damon stayed away for so long? Why had he not come to find her when he knew of Stefan's passing? As if able to read her thoughts through her gaze, he answered her.

"I couldn't be faced with the disappointment. Seeing me only would have reminded you of him, Elena, and it would have caused you too much pain. I know what that kind of pain feels like, and I have never wished it upon you."

He was speaking of Katherine, of course. Long ago, he'd loved her like no other, then discovered that her first death had been nothing more than a ruse. She'd been cruel in doing so, and broken Damon's heart all over again.

Elena shifted, looking him in the eyes, closely. She knew this wasn't a dream. He was there, holding onto her for nothing more than to comfort her. It was what she needed, what she wanted – comforting. Elena reached up and pulled his mouth towards hers, whispering before their lips touched.

"Kiss me."

For a fraction of an instant, Damon's eyes widened before he let out the trace of a sigh, meeting her lips with his. He'd thought of doing this so many times when Stefan had been alive, just to piss his brother off, but Stefan wasn't here now. It was just him, and Elena, alone. In a huge bed. _No. This isn't right, this isn't...._

Elena grabbed his hand and brought it to her chest, letting him feel the racing of her heart. Letting him feel the heat that was beginning to spread to other parts of her body, traveling upon her skin.

"Don't over think this, Damon. I'm giving in."

"Elena...."

The sound of her name on his lips brought a moan from her as he began to touch her, leaving little sparks of fire wherever his fingers lingered. He, himself, growled low in his throat as he lowered her to the surface of the bed, pressing her into the mattress. Clothing gave way to flesh. Flesh gave way to heat. Heat gave way to desire, and a connection that each had always felt with each other, but that they both had likely been wise to deny.

Damon's eyes darkened as he hovered over her, waiting for her okay, that came in the form of a nod as she bit her lower lip in anticipation. With a smile of triumph, he entered her over and over again, one word beginning low, repeated and building in volume to a fever pitch brought with each thrust from his hips.

"Mine."

* * *

"Drink, Elena."

He sighed in frustration as she laid against the fluffy white pillows, shaking her head. All Damon wanted to do was make her better, and because she wouldn't eat, he wanted her to drink.

"Elena...drink from me. I won't take from you."

Elena closed her eyes. She knew that he was right. Lack of good sleep had caused a serious lack of appetite for her, and it was beginning to show some serious side effects. Her clothing was starting to feel too loose, and her headaches just wouldn't go away. Just a few minutes of drinking from him would cure her ails, but they both knew it would come with a price.

"Damon...I...."

He shoved his wrist before her again. She took it, pulling it beside her, yet still not ready to drink. Elena had a few conditions before she would, and it would bind them forever.

"Drink from me first, Damon. Then I will drink from you. We'll make it a true exchange."

Damon's eyes widened, understanding exactly what she meant. But it wasn't what he'd wanted, no matter how much he'd wanted and desired her. A blood bond between them would erase any bond she'd had with Stefan, and it was one of the few things that he could feel lingering upon her scent.

"No, Elena. That wouldn't be right."

"But you want to, don't you?"

He was frustrated, and she sounded almost hurt. Closing his eyes, he rolled his shoulders and kneeled before her, pulling her up to her own knees as he looked into her blue eyes.

"Gods, yes, I want to, Elena. I have for so many years, though I must admit that my reasons weren't always for good. But this is Stefan we're talking about. If I do this...."

Elena took his hand and placed his fingertips upon the pulse throbbing in her neck. She watched his nostrils flare wide as he caught the scent of her, his canines beginning to appear ever-so-slightly.

"Stefan's dead, Damon. There's nothing you, nor I, can do about it. If we do this, we'll either be safe, or in more danger than we ever thought possible. But something's telling me to lean on the side of caution and let you do it anyway. So come on...."

"Ever the romantic..." he said sarcastically as she chuckled and brought his lips to her throat. The pulse was waiting there for him to pierce it, just below the surface. Damon had drank from Elena before, but always it was as a trick, or to get to his brother. This time was different.

His teeth pierced flesh and the hot, wet liquid began to fill his mouth. It tickled his tongue and burned his throat like Kentucky Bourbon to a fledgling drinker. He took just enough to fulfill his part of the bargain, wondering at the whimper that escaped Elena's lips when he broke contact.

"Okay. My turn."

Elena sat before him as he reached out and swiftly cut the skin just above his left nipple. With a sly smile, Elena latched on and included the nipple in her mouth, drawing a low moan from Damon's lips. She continued to suck, looking up a couple of times to Damon's eyes rolling in the back of his head as one arm went around her to steady himself. Slowly Elena pulled herself away, licking her lips to remove every trace of the salty, iron-rich taste of Damon's blood.

"It is done," she whispered as she leaned back upon the bed, pulling Damon to lay beside her. She did not hear the howl of frustration that came from just outside her door as she fell quickly into a deep, undisturbed sleep for the first time in ages.

Damon smiled lightly, looking at Elena in wonder as he stroked the light blond tendrils from her forehead as she slept, thinking all the while, 'mine'.


	14. Revolution

The sun rose early that next morning. But before the first ray of light made the dew sparkle upon a single blade of grass on the Salvatore estate, Adrian O'Connell walked the cold earth of the grounds. He willed himself to find some semblance of calm, but was quickly losing the battle against his own self.

"May the gods have mercy on her soul," he whispered into the coming light.

"The gods have nothing to do with it."

He turned, startled and immediately crouched in a defensive position. The moment he saw the owner of the voice, however, he relaxed; if only slightly.

"Greetings, Mistress."

From behind an outcropping of granite, a dark figure appeared, her face not visible except for her sly smile. Outlined with lips as bright as arterial spray, her teeth glowed brightly in the feeble light.

"Please, Adrian. You may dispense with the niceties. You are seething. I can smell it oozing from your very pores. Tell me, what troubles you? Has something else occurred with your fair maiden?"

The chuckle that accompanied those words made him grind his teeth together, a hiss barely contained between them.

"Yes."

Such a simple word, force out as if it caused him great pain. Adrian closed his eyes and took a deep breath as his mistress clapped her hands together gleefully.

"Ah-ha! So you are moving along right where you need to be!"

Not a question posed to him, but an assumption made of the situation. His honest answer to her brought forth a more appropriate, albeit violent, reaction.

"No, Mistress," he barely managed to whisper before she backhanded him with such force that he flew backward. His body hit the outcropping with such force that the granite cracked three-fourths of the way through, before falling to the soft grass below him.

"WHAT??? How dare you! Do not set foot in my vicinity until you've accomplished what is necessary. I promise you that you will wish you had never been born."

Slowly and carefully, taking care not to show any effort and to keep his gaze lowered, Adrian pushed himself up off the grass which had been crushed under the weight of his body. Once he was upright again, he spoke slowly and with caution.

"Yes, Mistress. It will be done."

The words had barely left his lips and as he raised his head, he noted that she was already gone. The air around him crackled with the electricity of her wake, causing him to shiver once violently. With a deep sigh and an ache now replacing the anger inside of him, Adrian O'Connell made his way silently through the lightening wood back to the main house, where other things were stirring.

* * *

"Tell me, Elena…why trust me now?"

She nearly choked on her breakfast as Damon asked her that. Her own personal thoughts stopped abruptly. It took her a few moments to recover as she swallowed down the rest of what she had been chewing, then she began tentatively.

"What exactly are you asking, Damon?"

One eyebrow arching skyward, Damon put down his glass and watched Elena closely. He noted the pulse in her throat, how it quickened as she awaited his response. Finding it quite contrary to the slowing of her respirations, her efforts to calm herself amused him, and he smiled against himself.

"It's not like you to give in, Elena. You are, shall we say, famous for putting up a fight?"

Elena smiled warmly, knowing where he was heading with this. She fully understood why Damon would be wary of her affections. There were so many years that she had tried to keep herself away from him as much as possible, but it had seemingly become a losing battle.

"It's not a matter of trusting you, Damon. I think we'd both agree that I've always trusted you. I've always known that you somehow cared for me and that you would never let anything happen to me. But for the longest time I thought it was because of a simple sense of obligation you felt toward your brother; not at all because you might actually feel something for me."

She sighed, putting her napkin down, her fork upon it, and pushed her chair back.

"But things feel more….comfortable now."

Elena looked at him, ever so hesitantly, making her way to the other end of the table. She placed one hand on his shoulder, leaning over to kiss the side of his cheek before whispering in his ear.

"Let go, Damon. Just let it go."

She didn't see his expression as she gave his right shoulder a squeeze. Nor did she as she walked away, leaving him to ponder the meaning of her words.

* * *

Later that evening, as the sky turned dark with clouds so thick they obscured every little bit of available light, a hunter walked alone. He listened in to the air around him. The natural order of things had noted and was disturbed by his presence. The disruption made him smile.

With each step, creatures of the underbrush went silent with his movement. Even the birds in the trees, chattering along with their incessant song, silenced themselves prudently.

He crouched, for ahead of him, a large doe was too occupied with her dinner to notice him. He'd never quite gotten used to the taste of non-human blood. It was gamier and muskier than the fairer species. Humans were warm. Their blood was sweeter, and their emotions always managed to pour into him, making him feel more alive.

But the hunter waited, and watched, and took aim to feed the ancient hunger eating away at his equally ancient soul.

* * *

Like many a late night before her, Elena Salvatore went for a walk in the chilly breeze. She pulled her wool cloak tightly around her as the wind picked up with each of her steps.

The night air helped her think, clearing any stray thoughts trapped in her mind. But this night, of all nights, there were too many present to clear safely away. It was the anniversary of the last day she saw Stefan. It was the day that she had been officially left alone.

With an almost grim determination, Elena trudged onward, deeper into the dark wood. As she moved, the clouds began to dissipate, a new moon high above lighting the ground before her in patches. A few minutes of moving forward and she stopped, aware of the wall of silence she suddenly encountered.

Across a small clearing, she spotted him. There was something smooth and graceful about him bent over like that. She knew what he was doing, and felt a tinge of sadness for the helpless animal whose life he was slowly draining. But some things in this life were necessary.

It took a moment before his head rose in recognition of her presence. Elena watched as Damon licked his lips and pulled out a handkerchief to clean any excess blood from his skin. He straightened slowly, stretching his length languidly before turning to look at her.

Elena noted the sound of a wolf, howling from not too far away. It made the tiny hairs on the back of her neck rise, dimpling the smooth expanse of pale flesh. Damon's head turned sharply as he, too, noted it. He began to move toward her; slowly, surely. There was a power to his strides as he moved with purpose. As Damon took Elena into his arms, and his lips took command of her own, a sharper howl came again from within the wood. It echoed a cry from the heavens, as if a soul was being ripped in two.

So it fell. It fell from its resting, hard and fast to earth, materializing just before it hit the cold, solid ground at the edge of the clearing. Steam rose from the fluid-covered body, its naked flesh chilling rapidly from the frosty air around it. And at the sight of the couple taking part of each other before it, it opened its mouth, and screamed.


	15. Awakening

**_Life is precious, right? It's a gift, a blessing, and when something is suddenly given new life, we should be happy, right? So why do I cringe when I hear that little voice inside of me that wishes this hadn't happened? Not here. Not now. _**

**_It's been years since I've put a pen to your pages, Diary. The last entry was the night before the twins were born. Another birth. How ironic. _**

**_For another time in my life, I have no clue what to do. The twins are almost six now. They've become so comfortable with Damon as the main male figure in their lives that I don't know if they'll respond well to this. Damon and I have finally started to find our own way with things, and this falls into our lap. Literally. It makes me wonder if my old friends from Fell's Church have anything to do with it. Hmm….. _**

**_Stefan fell from the sky. I have no idea how. To say that I am conflicted is an understatement. Damon still wants me, which is good – and I am unashamed to say that even at this moment, I want him. He's gotten under my skin for good this time, I am afraid. But before we can move forward, we've got to figure out what to do about Stefan. Speaking of which, he's been lying on the chaise in front of me for a while now. I watched him in silence for almost an hour before deciding to put pen to paper. _**

**_The children. Oh the children. Damon and I have yet to say anything about Stefan to the children. Where to begin? The twins were asleep before either of us went out for our respective walks, and I'm not going to wake them now. They have no knowledge of their father, and I frankly have no idea…none…of what to do. _**

Elena sighed as she put her pen down. Her head was pounding as she closed the ancient diary, and she looked over at Stefan's sleeping form. His eyes moved rapidly beneath purple-tinted lids, his facial expressions changing every few minutes. It looked like Stefan. It smelled like Stefan. But it had yet to speak – yet to put thoughts to words.

She looked up as she felt Damon slide his hand upon her left shoulder. His sudden appearance did not surprise her anymore. The look on his face was pained; conflicted. Perhaps the one she wore was too calm, but she could manage nothing other than the façade. To let him know she was thinking about him, Elena leaned her cheek over, rubbing it against the top of his knuckles. Her eyes closed as she took in a deep breath, and the now familiar smells of the elder Salvatore brother filled her lungs.

Damon drew a sharp breath, his body reacting quickly to the softness of Elena's skin. But he stamped it down, pulling upon the ageless coldness he had long perfected. It was that same coldness that had often put him at odds with the individual laying there before them. Whereas Elena was unsure, Damon knew it was his own flesh and blood. When he had to carry the slack, naked body back to the manor house, Damon had probed its unconscious mind. What he found there tasted as familiar as the first day of his rebirth.

"We'll figure it out, Damon. Together."

He looked up at Elena as she spoke to him, feeling the coldness crack. He simply could no longer hold it in place around her. Damon kissed her cheek and pulled him toward her in an embrace, tightly hugging her before letting her go.

"One way or another, Elena. I've waited too long…."

The words died upon his lips as Stefan's form began to stir before them. Damon stood straighter, on guard for whatever came next.

"Wh-where am I?"

Elena let out the breath she'd been holding so tightly within her chest. The voice that spoke was clearly Stefan's voice.

"What is this place?"

She looked to Damon, who nodded and took her hand. Together they moved forward, stepping from the darkness out into the light.

"Elena…Damon…what?"

Before they could respond, the door behind them burst open as two excited pre-schoolers tumbled into the room. (the boy) led the charge.

"Mommy! Mommy! Guess what we found?"

Ariel came up from behind and hid behind Damon's leg as her brother chattered on. She peered out carefully, looking at the man that was covered in her momma's favorite blanket. Andrew finally stopped rattling on, his eyes following to where his sister's gaze lay.

"Who dat?"

Elena's eyes flicked to Damon's, neither of them knowing how to break the ice, or whether to tell the twins to begin with that the father that they had never met was back from the dead. In the end, neither of them had to say a word, as Ariel smiled and spoke for the first time since entering the room.

"That's Daddy," she said, a broad smile on her face. The stunned adults next to her weren't sure what to say. Damon spoke first, kneeling down to Ariel's level and speaking in a calm and gentle voice.

"And how do you know that, Ariel?"

She looked at him matter-of-factly and giggled before speaking.

"Because the angels told me so."

Without missing a beat, Ariel stepped forward and stopped about a foot before reaching Stefan. Until then, no one had thought to look in his direction, as they were frozen in place. Elena looked at him then, Stefan's face beseeching her to answer, to speak to him at all. She didn't, but nodded as her eyes filled up with years' worth of built up tears.

Stefan stared forward in disbelief. Was this all a dream? Some sick, twisted game that the powers that be were playing with him? He wasn't sure where he had been, but it had been devoid of anything but light. The last thing he remembered before the light was pain. Excruciating pain, and the sight of his lovely Elena, whose tears dripped down upon him as his life faded away from him.

He brought himself back into the present, and to the little girl that stood before him. She had Elena's hair, but his eyes, staring back at him like little jewels. The little girl laughed, the sound of it making him jump in surprise, before he, too, returned it. He focused on the girl, blocking out the expectant stare of Elena, the guarded one of his brother, and the narrowed eyes of the little boy who was standing as far back as he could. Stefan lowered at the waist, so that he was more on her level.

"My, aren't you the brave one? Daddy, you say? Well, then, I must be."

That was all Ariel needed to hear before she launched herself at him like a cannonball. She was a strong one, knocking the breath out of him as he moved to catch her. The hug was a bit awkward, but Stefan thought he pulled it off just fine. He whispered lightly, "What's your name?"

Ariel smiled, sighing a contented sigh as the words tumbled out of her mouth.

"Ariel Arianna Marionetta Salvatore."

Stefan chuckled, the familiar sound traveling upon the air to the ears of those around him. He nodded, looking between Ariel and what was obviously her brother.

"Well, that was certainly a mouthful, young lady. And who is he?"

Ariel shrugged as she looked at her brother. "Oh, that's Andrew. He's scared of you."

He thought on that, tilting his head to one side as he noted how she, his daughter, was unafraid. Something she inherited from her mother, as he was more prone to the side of caution. Like the little boy, apparently.

"Well, Andrew, I believe that your mother, your uncle and I have much to talk about, don't you agree? So why don't you two go play for a little while so we can speak about grown up things. Would that be okay?"

Ariel looked toward Elena for permission. Elena nodded once, and Ariel kissed Stefan on the cheek before climbing down and walking back over to Andrew. She grabbed his hand, but not before hugging her Uncle Damon's leg, just because she thought he needed it. The action received a low chuckled and a pat on the head, and the children left the room much quieter than they came.

Stefan leaned back, putting his arms across his chest as his eyes narrowed and he looked to Damon and Elena, who were still holding hands as they stood across from him.

"So…. Who wants to go first?"


	16. From Little Embers Begin Great Flames

_Dear Diary_

_ What a night it has been. How Ariel knew that was Stefan? I'm not sure, but I think she's got a few more tricks up her little sleeve. And who is this ghost she's been talking to? Angels? Not likely. Then again...._

_ I left the room after listening to Stefan's tale. It sounds...familiar. But it makes me a little jealous, almost. I come back from the dead and couldn't speak, could bare communicate. He comes back and it's like...like he never left. _

_ I'm still listening closely for any commotion down the hall. I left the brothers in there to hash it out. I'm pretty sure that's what will happen. It's not every day you see your wife cuddled up next to your brother. What have I gotten myself into? _

* * *

"I am not giving her up, Stefan. Brother or not, she's mine now."

Damon stood up, tired of speaking to this thing that called itself his brother. He looked like him, smelled like him. But something just wasn't right. Still, stranger things had happened.

"Last time I checked, Damon, she is my wife. Consider my reappearance like...I had gone on vacation. I've just come back from an extended vacation to find you two shacked up together. Better yet, look at it like I was a P.O.W. Great loyalty you two have shown me," he replied in disgust. Stefan had never fully trusted his brother, and this only added to his overall dislike of what his brother could be when he wanted to be.

"Don't you dare assume anything of the kind, brother!" Damon spat. "I have taken care of your wife and your children while you disappeared to wherever the hell you've been! I have protected them, and sheltered them. I don't give a damn what you think about us. We've been happy. Can you believe that? Me, happy???" The last came out with a strangled chuckle. Damon began to pace back and forth like a caged lion. He wasn't giving Elena up, not after finally getting the prize.

Stefan stood, watching his brother. He had fought him over and over again for Elena. He just never figured that Damon would win. _No, I'm not going to believe in that. I'm going to fight for her._ And he found himself saying it aloud. "Don't speak so soon, Damon. She's still my wife. Still the love of my life. I'm not going to just step aside so you can celebrate whatever excuse for happiness that you've found in my absence. Mark my words." Stefan strode past Damon and threw the door open so hard that it banged against the hallway wall.

He was angry. Angrier than he thought he had ever been. How could they do this to him? How could the Fates, or the Powers That Be, or whatever excuse for a higher power that was out there do this? It made him feel like a pawn in an unending game of chess, where his soul and the souls of those that he cared about were the pieces for their amusement.

With each stride he got closer to Elena's room, trying to decide if he should turn around, but deciding at the last minute to open the door, and not to knock. He threw it open, stopping at the sight before him. There she was, bent over a long white desk. Her hand gripped a pen and she jumped at his entrance. Her diary, the most familiar of things for him, was sitting there open upon it. She'd been writing again. The thought that all this time she'd continued her tradition brought tears to his eyes, and a completely opposite wave of emotion flew threw him.

"I...I...I'm sorry," he choked out as he ran to the balcony and vaulted over it, landing flatly upon the grounds below. He looked forward, running at top speed for the forest on the grounds.

* * *

"Where'd he go?" Damon pushed out of his lungs as his feet slid across the floor, his hands barely catching the doorframe as he flew into the room. His eyes narrowed and nose flared as he searched him out. Before he could head for the balcony, Elena was up in a flash, placing one hand on his chest. It stopped him dead.

"Damon. Let him be," she said calmly. Elena's blue eyes searched Damon's near-black ones. Standing on tiptoe, she kissed him softly, slowly working her lips across his to coax his attention to nothing but her. Underneath it all, Elena was trying to distract him, and they both knew it. But when it came to this game, she had the upper hand.

"Ugh," he groaned, picking her up as he gave in to the kiss. With one foot he slammed the door shut and laid her down upon the bed, not caring that the balcony door was still wide open.

Somewhere in the woods, two emerald eyes watched on from the darkness. And jealousy grew to anger. And from that spark, a plan emerged.

* * *

_Little bits here and there, people. Enjoy them, and I'll update soon. Don't worry, some of the conversation will be revealed in bits and pieces. Toodles! - M._


	17. Little Mr O'Connell

This is just a quick representation of the next scene that runs through my mind. It will start to tie in a lot of things that were once scattered about. I know that it's short, but it does have a purpose. Toodles! - M.

* * *

_I love her, and I'm not letting her go without a fight.... She came to _me_, Stefan. Not the other way around...._

Stefan stood in the woods, the words echoing through his head as he watched the balcony above. Even the heavy pressure of both of his hands, turning his knuckles white enough that he would have crushed another's skull, was not enough to dull the throbbing inside his own.

_You've got to understand, Stefan. You were gone. With Damon's help, I was finally able to let you go....let you go....let you go....let you go._

Another stabbing pain to the gut. He was seething with anger so deep that he began to see red. Stefan grit his teeth, spittle flying from between them as he breathed forcefully in and out of them. The pain was growing, and he fell to his knees. Nothing could touch him now. Nothing but the pain.

"I know how you feel, Stefan. Hard to deal with, isn't it?" Adrian O'Connell stood in the darkness behind the trees. Ever watching; ever waiting. He knew something like this would happen, only had to wait for the perfect opportunity. Damon Salvatore had stolen from him the one thing he'd ever cherished or wanted in this life, and through Stefan, he'd make sure the older brother would pay.

"Get away from me," Stefan growled. His hands moved to his sides, balled into fists. He didn't know this person, or.... His nose picked up something else. This thing. This was not a person behind him, but a thing. And the knowledge of that only put Stefan on a higher alert. "Whoever you are, get away from me. Leave this place."

Adrian laughed heartily, as if Stefan had told some great joke. "Oh, dear boy, I cannot. I am employed here, like it or not, and my mistress wouldn't have it any other way." He moved closer, leaning in to speak lower, almost a whisper. "Wouldn't you like to put your brother in his place, Stefan? I know I would. We hold something in common, you see. Just when you think things couldn't get worse, Damon comes along and swipes the carpet out from underneath you. What would you do if you said I could help you out?" Adrian stood up fully then, slowly walking backward so that he was further into the trees, and further away from the earshot of his employer.

Stefan ran all of this through his mind. He knew, deep within, that he shouldn't trust this thing. But a greater part of him was still angry, still hell bent on doing something about it. With great care not to make a sound, he moved slower than he ever had in his life, or his afterlife, and spoke to the other man in hushed tones.

"All right. Tell me what you have in mind."


	18. The more things change

Morning found Elena alone in her room, the crisp white sheets of her bed tangled between her feet. She sat up slowly, her head spinning as she did so. Taking a deep breath, she stood up and stretched her arms wide, sighing. "Hmm... I wonder when he did that?" She saw that Damon had closed the balcony doors, but she really didn't remember him doing it. Come to think of it, she didn't remember much from the previous evening past a long session with the gentleman in question, lying in her bed.

The hot water pricked her skin like a thousand little needles as she showered for the day. She still could not get used to the fact that she had fallen in love with Damon, even after all this time. Elena closed her eyes and thought back upon everything that had happened in the past. All the times he'd helped her. All the times he'd tried to woo her, and she'd always chosen Stefan first. Maybe Stefan had been the responsible one. Maybe that's why she'd chosen him. What if she'd been in love with Damon all along?

She shook her head to rid it of the confusing jumble of thoughts. Reality set in, and she thought about how to deal with the Stefan of today - the one that had returned to find her with his brother. What must he be thinking? she thought to herself. Could he possibly understand the differences after all those years? She was only human, after all. The powers that be had brought her back this way for a purpose. She just still didn't understand exactly what that meant.

Another wave of dizziness hit her as she stepped into her robe, ready for breakfast. "Was it something I ate?" She felt her stomach gurgle and turned to the toilet, ready to empty whatever may be left in her system into the porcelain bowl. But nothing came; just a rumble and a grumble and then she was back to normal again. "Must be hungry." Elena laughed aloud as she realized that she was talking aloud to no one in particular, and she made for the stairs.

There was no one at the table. Odd, she thought. Until the maid came in to check on her.

"Hello Signora. Would you be having lunch in here, or out on the balcony? The children have accompanied the Signores to the water."

Elena's eyes widened. Lunchtime already? She'd slept straight through breakfast and it was almost noon. "Um...I'll. I think I'll go change and just wait for the others, okay Lucinda?" The maid nodded and Elena walked back up the stairs, still feeling out of sorts. She pulled a blue silk blouse and a pair of dark jeans from the closet, sliding them on over her undergarments. It was warm outside, so she slipped on a pair of sandals and closed the door behind her tightly.

In the hallway she was greeted by Adrian. He started past her but she reached out and touched his arm. "Adrian, I just wanted to say...." Her words stopped at the look in his eyes. He was angry, and hurt, and she hadn't meant for any of this to happen. Sometimes things had a familiar pattern to it, and it was just more comfortable to slide into something that fit. "Sorry." Elena turned on her heel and left him standing there, watching her go.

There were many things passing through his mind at that moment. But the thing that stopped him from being more human about the situation was just that. He wasn't that human - so why should he respond like one? If he was going to be true to himself, he would take what he wanted, defeat those that opposed him, and the rest could bloody well be damned.

But his mistress had other plans, first. Always first.

Adrian turned and continued down the hallway, shutting his door quietly behind him.


	19. Take flight

_**UPDATE! Short, but sweet - as I am beginning to think of this in scenes. Little tidbits that pop into my wee brain and cause me just as much irritation as I am sure they do the reader who is reading them. Enjoy, and just think of where this puppy may go. I know I am. Toodles! - M.**_

* * *

Stefan walked down the hall toward Elena's room. Something was amiss. He knew it in every fiber of his being. She hadn't been to breakfast, and then lunch had passed without sight of her. As he neared her door, a feeling of uneasiness washed over him.

"Elena? Elena, may I come in?" he said softly as he knocked with equal quiet. No answer came, and he reached for the door handle.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. I think she doesn't wish to be disturbed, Salvatore." O'Connell had quietly exited his room and was watching Stefan closer than the ageless man would have liked.

Stefan's brow furrowed as his vision darkened a bit. "I don't care what you have to say, O'Connell. Something's wrong with my wife, and I'm going to find out just what." He turned and opened the door, the lock unhooked. He walked into the room - darkened from lack of light and the blackout curtains pulled tight against the setting sun.

"Elena?" he entreatied again, to no avail. As he turned, he noted that there was a faint light coming from under the bathroom doorway. As he pushed on it, he noticed the door was blocked - not locked. "Elena?" his voice raised he pushed again. She was there, lying on her side in front of the toilet. "Elena?"

Stefan turned and yelled out into the room. "DAMON!" He turned back to Elena in a panic. Without the reflexes he had survived on for so long, Stefan could not tell if she was just sleeping or dying, or simply passed out. He gathered his golden angel up into his lap and began to rock her back and forth, back and forth - like a father to a sleeping baby.

Damon ran into the room with his usual lightning quickness. The sight of his beloved in his brother's arms caused a momentary irritation until he realized she was unconscious. "Move!" he said forcefully, leaning in to pick her up from the cold tile floor and swiftly exited the suite with her tucked in his grip.

Stefan sat there, realizing how utterly helpless he had become, and suddenly wishing for all of his cursed life back again.

In the shadows, O'Connell watched the array of emotions pass along Stefan's face. And he smiled.


	20. What Dreams May Come

_**Hi there all. It has been quite some time since I've taken up the fanfiction helm. But a friend of mine told me it would be the right thing to do. And frankly, I've kind of missed it. Time to get back in the swing of things . Take care, and review as you like.**_

_**- M.**_

* * *

She wasn't sure how she knew. But all the way deep down within herself, she knew she was dreaming. There was no other explanation behind it.

Bright sunshine bathed everything around her. She was lying on a blanket on the beach, soaking up its healing rays. As she closed her eyes she could hear the sounds of the waves crashing, then lapping up the smooth, sandy shore. The sound of her children's laughter greeted her ears and she looked over, shielding her eyes from the light to look in their direction.

"Upsy daisy! That's daddy's little girl. Smile. Let's wave at Mama!"

Her brow furrowed as she looked over at Damon, holding a little girl with golden locks and piercing blue eyes. While she apparently had her mother's coloring, she had the sharp features of a Salvatore. Elena waved back at the pair, then looked down at herself. No longer was her belly swollen - just barely left with the familiar swell of motherhood that would take a million and one situps and crunches to do away with. She felt up to her face. Gone was the extra weight she had put on with the pregnancy. Her hair was long, and well past her shoulders now. She'd changed, so much.

Damon turned with their daughter and took her back toward the edge of the water. Her conscious mind knew it wasn't real, but she smiled with warmth at the little scene before her - perfect yet for the smattering of dark clouds that always threatened to ruin a good day of sunning. Elena sighed and began to lean back to lay upon the blanket's surface when the hairs on the back of her neck rose alarmingly.

The voice whispered just behind her ear, frightened.

"She's coming!"


End file.
